Non-skid metal sheets



Nov. 26, 1963 M. o. HoLowA'rY ETAL 3,112,212

NON-SKID METAL SHEETS Filed Dec. 3, 1959 a W: j

Qvzvew 0 2/3 W12/M0555@ drama/S Wmgy/ fai e' E? 797 d l @Wr/neg UnitedStates Patent O 3,112,212 NON-SKID METAL SHEETS Michael 0. Holowaty,Gary, Ind., and Edmund S.

Madrzyk, Lansing, Ill., assignors to Inland Steel Company, Chicago,Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 3, 1959, Ser. No. 857,018 4Claims. (Cl. 117-22) This invention relates to novel methods of applyingt the surface of metal sheets or strips abrasive particles or grit so asto render said metal sheets or strips resist-ive to slippage andskidding.

A method for applying the abrasive particles to the base metal isaccomplished where the abrasive particles, such as silicon -carbide ofdesired consistency and particle size, are suspended in a liquid metalcarrier consisting of aluminum-zinc or aluminum-Zinc-magnesium, thetemperature of these alloys being in a range of 1250 F. to 1350 F. Whenthe silicon carbide particles are suspended therein this carrier filmabrasive particle combination may then be applied to the sheets whilethe base metal sheets are either hot or cold. In order to accomplish thesuspension of the abrasive particles in the carrier metal it may ybenecessary to adjust the specific gravity of the carrier metal so as topermit the abuasive particles such as silicon carbide to be suspendedtherein. Once the base metal has been coated with the abrasive carryingalloy the resultant combination is submitted to quenching or gradualcooling as either may be desired to enable the alloy to adhere to thebase metal.

This liquid alloy-abrasive particle suspension may also be processedinto a shot-like product which is applied to the surface of the *basemetal strip in solid form and then melted in a suitable meltingapparatus after the shot-like material has been applied to the basemetal strip. The shot-like coating of the base metal may be done in auniform manner covering the entire sheet or strip or the base metal maybe spot coated at localized areas on the surface of said base accordingto a preferred design. The sheet or strip so coated after the meltingprocess can be permitted to cool as "desired to enable the coating metalto adhere to the base metal.

In the accompanying diagrammatic drawing:

FIGURE l is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of a method inaccordance with the present invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a schematic illustration of a second embodiment of a methodin accordance with the present invention.

Referring to FIGURE 1, in the embodiment of the method illustratedtherein, abrasive particles are suspended in a molten alloy of theparticular composition described above, and the molten alloy containingthe suspended abrasive particles is Ifor-med into shot by conventionalshotting methods, well-known to those skilled in the art. The resultantshot 51 is stored in a hopper 50 which distributes shot 51 onto theupper surface 57 of a continuous strip of ila-t metal base material`S2.. Flat metal base 52 containing shot 51 applied to the upper surfacethereof then passes through a furnace 55 for melting the shot and fusingthe alloy to upper surface 57 of base 52. If desired, before passingthrough furnace 55, base 52, containing shot 51 thereupon, may be passedthrough a pair of pressure rolls 53, 54 which exert just enough pressureto slightly tix the shot particles to upper surface 57 of ice base strip52. After melting of the shot and fusion of the alloy, strip 52 passesthrough a cooling zone 56 and from there to shearing means indicatedgenerally at 59 for dividing continuous strip 52 into a plurality ofsheets of relatively shorter length.

Referring to FIGURE 2, the embodiment of method illustrated thereinprovides a bath 60 composed of a molten alloy having a composition asdescribed above and having abrasive particles suspended therein. Acontinuous flat metal base strip 52 passes downwardly into bath 60around a bath roller 61 and then upwardly out of the bath. Also locatedin bath 60 is a roller scraper 62. A coating of molten alloy containingabras-ive particles suspended therein is applied `to both surfaces ofstrip 52 as it passes through the bath 60. Scraping means 63, locatedjust above -bath 69 for removing said coating from one surface `68 ofstrip 52, may be provided, if desired. As the coated strip moves Iawayfrom bath 60 the molten coating becomes fused to the surface of basestrip 52. Coated base strip 52 then passes between a pair ofconventional turn-over rolls 64, and is then cut into shorter lengths byconventional shearing means indicated generally at 59. The stripcontaining the coating fused thereto may be allowed to cool naturallybetween scraping means 63 and shearing means 59, or artificial coolingmeans, of a conventional nature well-known to those skilled in the art,may be utilized between scraping means 63 and shearing means 59.

Thus in each embodiment of the method of the present invention, theabrasive particle is suspended in a molten alloy of the particularcomposition described above, and the alloy containing the suspendedabrasive particle is applied to the surface of a fiat metal base andfused thereto to produce a non-skid flat metal material comprising abase, an alloy fused to the base, and abrasive particles suspended inthe alloy. The base, of course, has a melting point substantially higherthan that of the carrier alloy, and a typical example of a metal base issteel sheet.

Typical abrasive particles include, in addition to the aforementionedsilicon carbide, boron nitride, sand, and the like, all of saidparticles being in finely divided form.

While the above described methods constitute a preferred embodiment ofthis invention it is obvious that the invention lmay be otherwiseembodied and practiced so that all modifications which fall within thescope of the following claims are understood to have been intended.

What is claimed is:

l. A method for producing nonfskid flat metal material, said methodcomprising:

providing an alloy selected from the group consisting essentially ofaluminum-zinc and aluminum-zincmagnesium and having a specific gravitywhich will maintain abrasive particles suspended in the alloy lwhen thelatter is molten;

suspending said abrasive particles in said alloy;

applying said alloy in molten form, and containing said suspendedabrasive particles, to the surface of a flat metal base;

fusing said alloy to the base;

and then cooling -to produce non-skid flat metal material comprising abase, an alloy fused to sai-d base, and abrasive particles suspended insai-d alloy.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein:

said abrasive particles are suspended in said alloy when the alloy is in`molten for-m at a temperature between about 1250 F. and about 1350 F.,and said alloy `is then applied to said surface of said base.

3. A -rnethod for producing non-skid flat metal material, said methodcomprising:

providing an alloy selected from the group consisting essentially ofaluminum-zinc and aluminum-zincmagnesium and having a specific gravitywhich Will maintain abrasive particles suspended in the alloy when thelatter is molten;

suspending said abrasive particles in said alloy;

forming said alloy containing said suspended abrasive particles intoshot;

applying said alloy in the form of said shot to the surface of a atmetal base;

melting said shot after it has been applied to said base and fusing saidalloy to said metal base;

and then cooling to produce non-skid at metal material comprising .abase, an alloy fused to said base, and abrasive particles suspended insaid alloy.

4. A method as recited in claim 3 wherein:

said base is spot coated with said shot at localized areas on thesurface of said base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSPfersdorf May 5, 1925 lFink et al Oct. 2, 1928 Gertler Mar. 3, 1936Charles July 3, 1951 Alexander Apr. 6, 1954 Montgomery et al Dec. 25,1956 Mackin et al Sept. 23, 1958 Link et al Dec. 13, 1960 Strate Aug.29, 1961

3. A METHOD FOR PRODUCING NON-SKID FLAT METAL MATERIAL, SAID METHODCOMPRISING: PROVIDING AN ALLOY SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTINGESSENTIALLY OF ALUMINUM-ZINC AND ALUMINUM-ZINCMAGNESIUM AND HAVING ASPECIFIC GRAVITY WHICH WILL MAINTAIN ABRASIVE PARTICLES SUSPENDED IN THEALLOY WHEN THE LATTER IS MOLTEN; SUSPENDING SAID ABRASIVE PARTICLES INSAID ALLOY; FORMING SAID ALLOY CONTAINING SAID SUSPENDED ABRASIVEPARTICLES INTO SHOT; APPLYING SAID ALLOY IN THE FORM OF SAID SHOT TO THESURFACE OF A FLAT METAL BASE;